Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-03-03
Life tu n Country S.esci.


From the Chicaeo Ir.hu;ag.
Have YOU ever stopped az a country hotel. n
YOU have yoa have stopped NJ all OF them, as they
are all cut from the same piere. During the last
week Tribwpe man hes been invading a number
OF small towns fl the interior OF western state.
and for the benefit NJ those who have never bcca
guests at rural hosiery we VIII eadeavor 70 give
a description of one. The train pulls up In front
OF a low, rambling wooden structure two stories
hlgh snd he ears Of the Passengers are assaulted
youth OF eighteen. II Il Is the passengers desu-
nation he anghts and walks towards the hotel
his grips ana he must carry his own baggage 10
the desk. Then he registers. The register OF
country hotel Is something OF curiosity. AT the
Top OF the page appears the handiwork OF the night
clerk In the shape OF the day and date, aristicaly
done In Ink OF the TIVE colors which mark roulette
wheel After the guest has registered he must tell
the clerk whether he wants a room or not. IN he
does not the clerk Will not look after him until
oSdtime, ana then frst come first served.
Naturally, after long ride the stranger is trfe
hunsrN, ana this hunger In not at all appeased by
the cdor which noats through the open doors OF
the dining room. It's the same old odor too never
striking Tor shorter hours, and pursuing IT'S ka-
leidoscopic way like the poetic brook The guest
takes SCAT wherever he can get IT, and naturally
looks about. lies; there are all the old familiar
friends. Apparently no one has used the catsup
since the stranger was there before and sun Ina lis
place Is the property" mustard pot with It's blum
In the shape Of an inside coating of yellow ochre
The napkins have possibly shrunk a little but
they siil shed lint upon the clothing with the old
r..
too with its plate little worn on, but still In the
ring; and the pre-Adamite mixed pickles, with the
ie red PEPPER glans through , o shs wallis Of i,s
all present and one begins To feel ut home
As this feeling steals over one he Is conscious OF
the presence of a being behind his chair. SAe-it
Is always she-shoyes a glass OF water past his
shoulder, and from between her ruby lips there
comes the mystic query: "Biistek, porkstek,
But II Is an Old, Old story 10 her She wishes she
had dollar for every time She has repeated &c.
III one hestates he is lost, She Will walk away;
SO one orders that portion OF her rapid narrative
which has found lodgment In his memory and she
sails away kitchenward. These girls all look alike
and dress alike. Their countenances proclaim q
recent onslaught on the -four barrel and their
facial "make-up" is rather startling as the snow.
der" has appropriated a territory bounded by tina
forehead, chin and ears BEYOND these iimits
there is noticeable that polish which Is only ac-
quired by those whose duty calls them 70 the
nefgh0orhood OF The Kitchen range. In most in
stances their hair il cut short and thew Affect
jewclry enough 10 entirely depopulate q ten-cent
Ihe snn pgI h .ea ,es a y, r goed girls
TO arrive on the installment plan. The ''bifstekS
is crlsply done and Is about the dimensions Of q
blue chip. The rest comes In little oval dishes
which surround the plate on every hand. Zach
dish contains a little dab or something which II
on the vocal bill OF fare and the guest about
10 begin the life and death struggle with the food
the mlniSter1ng angel ia blue stripes and nee pow-
der asks: -'Teaorcoiy?" one II safe In taking
either, as both are harmless. one II then asked n
he wants hot cakes. OF course lac does One may
think these are flannel wheat cakes. but they are
not. They are just little bit stubborn.
While chiselling the way through the cakes the
proprietor's vile sails I'm. The only person ON
earth who literally sail In II the bet er half OF
a country hotel proprietor when there II dining
room full OF guests. Her private table II away
down nj the further end OF the room. II might ne
more pleasantly located. but. bless you. Il would
hot give the propnetors wire an opportunity 20
sail IN. Unlike her mlnions. she scorns the use Of
Hour or rice powder for the complexion. In It's
stead she paints the lily with a liquid cosmetic
which imparts TO her complexion a BLUSH tinge
There may be rifts In this toilet coating and it
may have dried on thicker In some places than In
Others Out It's general effect POSSESSES the trans
cendent beauty which the pale moonlight imparts
TO a newly whitewashed barn and, moreover she
KNOWS IL. Her halr Is lriLzled at the sides and
brushed backward on the top over what l. techni-
cally known TO the rural nair-drcsssr az a rat
one knows this because he sees the rat between
sections OF the pompadour. Her jewelry n mas
siye. A gold chain cncirclrs her slapely neck and
at her throat Is large brooch bearing oil paint
Ing or her husband Ia the act oi calling 'FrJnt"
When through her meals She sweeps into the
parlor ana seats herself al the piano. len, it n
the old piano, the old hotel piano. Unfortunate
piece or musical mechanism The key OF q Il now
b nat, but the instrument gets there just the
same. She plays. Hes, that magic touch IL hers
and as the stranger listens he Iorgets how, when
going away ON the morrow, the partner OF tue
players joys ana SORROWS Will get In his magnetic
touch for 81. She Is playing the pianos DAD con-
temporary, Peek-a-boo,' With depth OF feeling,
and the be.l-bOy accompanies her With Duca,t ot
coal, which he pOur5 into the Office volcano
Finally, She disappears, and is seen no more until
The guest purchases a paper for the train is Just
I'm, and settles himself 10 the task OF killing time
In country hotel IL Is a hard Job. The las6
train II H. and all the excitement there n Is fur.
nished by the dropping in OF the village mag
Mates who plant themselves around the Stove aud
swap ray-bearded lests. Purchasing a cigar the
guest starts 10 light IL. on the counter H. a lamp
With two lighters, one OF which f. stepped In alc,-
hOl. OF course, the stranger strikes the wrong
one FIRST, and would continue 10 do n he lac
cigars there twenty years. After having smoked
a little he Is sorry there was any alcohol at ALL
Sooner or later, and generally sooner, the guest
expresses desire 10 the night clerk 10 retire. He
goes TO "A closet and ignite, hand lamp, takes the
guests grip, and pilots the way upstairs. In one
carried thern 1mcter he could the mercury
descend lower the farther he got away from that
Office stove. Reaching the room the guest L. asked
if he wants a call IN the morning. No. certainly
not. While undressing OLe's thoughts revert 10
Lieut.. Greeley and Ills Inflated expedition. long
breath and then the guest crawls between the
sheets Just the guest 1. beginning To feel CON-
Portable there Ii rap AT the door OF the room op-
posite and he sleepily hears the night clerk inform
the occupant that IL is 80. one wishes the night
clerk mig h nave been more confidential about IL.
Every han hour, though, he COIN, mp and thun-
uers at solne ones door Ia tell the hour. Finally
the early train pulls In and the hoy begins work
his bell, ana the guest arises and jumps into his
clothes, giving mp In disgust an honest attempt TO
sleep. Inc chestnut about the 'Dlistek, I" etc, 10
re;oid, and when The next train pulls In the
stranger boards IT, only 10 be sci down at tbs
next Town TO go through a similar experience.